ADDRESS. Xlv 



natural phaenomena by inference from delicate experiments, is mainly or 

 entirely due. Much, of course, remains to be done, before we can pronounce 

 accurately how far this principle enables us to account, without reference to 

 any other cause, for the regular changes, as well as for the capricious disturb- 

 ances, in ordinary magnetism. I ought not to omit stating that such general 

 explanation had long ago been suggested in a very remarkable paper by 

 Mr. Christie; but the experiments actually applying to the magnetic pro- 

 perties of oxygen were unknown, and perhaps impossible, at that time. In 

 the science of abstract magnetism, the distinction between paramagnetic and 

 diamagnetic substances has been thoroughly worked out by Mr. Faraday, 

 and is now received as one of the most remarkable laws of nature. In the 

 related subject of Galvanism, although much of detailed law has been esta- 

 blished by the labours of the same great man and of others, it is difficult to 

 fix upon any new law of general character. Experiments made in America 

 seem to establish that the velocity of the galvanic current in iron wires of a 

 certain size does not exceed fifteen or eighteen thousand miles per second : 

 a much greater speed, however, is inferred by M. Fizeau, from the same ex- 

 periments. The first part of an elaborate mathematical theory of Magnetism, 

 by Prof. Thomson, has been published. In Meteorology, some striking facts 

 have been collected and arranged by Col. Sykes in regard to India, by 

 Messrs. Schlagintweit in regard to the Alps, and by M. Plantamour in the 

 comparison of observations at Geneva and the Great St. Bernard ; and some 

 very unexpected facts have been extracted by M. Arago from the obser- 

 vations in a balloon ascent at Paris. The systematic collection of observa- 

 tions of luminous meteors, in Reports by Prof. Powell, printed in the volumes 

 of the Association for the last two years, can scarcely fail to lead to some 

 discovery of the origin and nature of those mysterious bodies. An extensive 

 series of meteorological observations had been made at the Ordnance Survey 

 Office at Mountjoy, near Dublin, and the Association some years since re- 

 commended to the Government the early printing of those observations. I 

 have the gratification of stating that considerable progress has now been 

 made in preparing them for the press. 



At the last meeting of the Association a project was laid before the Ge- 

 neral Committee by M. KupfTer, for the formation of a Meteorological Con- 

 federation, to be extended over the whole of Europe. A very extensive 

 organization, covering almost the whole Russian Empire, has already been 

 created. The Council, to whom this project was referred, after very careful 

 consideration, deemed it inexpedient to join in the proposed Confederation. 

 They were deterred by various practical difficulties, of which some may per- 

 haps always exist, while others are felt with unusual force at the present 

 time. It was with extreme unwillingness that the Council adopted this reso- 



